Perusing The Good Wife’s Guide from a 1950s era domestic science schoolbook, I became increasingly slack-jawed, mentally ticking off everything that I still don’t do in 2017.

February 14 has long been associated with the prescribed trappings of love: chocolates, flowers and syrupy love songs. While the day itself can either evoke glee or gloom in lovers or the lovelorn thanks to shrewd marketing and the media, other worthy causes have claimed February 14 for their own, extending love in other dimensions: from children’s books to vaginas to cute cat videos.

From boxes of chocolate to diamond jewelry, Valentine’s Day has become a global money-maker, but the day for lovebirds goes way back. Here are 7 unusual facts tied to the celebration of love.

The first time my German mum-in-law saw some childhood pictures of mine, she’d asked incredulously, “Wow, you used eyeliner even as a baby?”

Five days ago, Sita Karki, 14, was forced into isolation in a filthy, dark and sweltering cattle shed about 10 minutes away from her home. The reason is that she is menstruating.

From early childhood, I thought that I had a clear idea of life in rural Bangladesh despite the fact that I lived in the port city of Chittagong. My family had strong bonds with small towns and villages and we spent a lot of time there, in the lush and beautiful greenness. When my father died, I realized that there were many hidden realities.

The clock strikes 8:30 in the morning. You are already running late for work so you rush out into the streets. As you walk down, a group of men start catcalling you and one of them whistles slyly.